Bomb suppression device

ABSTRACT

A bomb suppression device for use in shielding an explosion of a small explosive device such as a pipe bomb. The suppression device has upper and lower blankets held together by flexible straps. The flaps attached to the upper blanket extend down towards the lower blanket when the device is in an expanded position. The bottom blanket has a central opening which acts as a flue for the gases released by the bomb, directing the gases upwardly and causing the device to expand in a balloon-like manner. The straps attaching the upper blanket to the bottom blanket are long enough to provide a gap between the lower edge of the flaps and the edges of the bottom blanket to allow the escape of gases generated by an explosion. A standoff device is utilized which is first placed over the bomb so that the blanket members may be positioned without making contact with the bomb.

United States Patent lll] 3,814,016

Leach 0! I]. [45] June 4, 1974 l BOMB SUPPRESSION DEVICE PrimaryExaminer-Verhn R. Pendegrass [75] Inventors: Jack beach. Greensboro. NC;v Darby Jerome Zouhly; westi'teldz willlam cushma" G. Fuh. Jamesburg.both of NJ. (57] ABSTRACT [73] Asstgnee: Burlington Industries. Inc..

(i b N A bombsuppression device for use in shielding an exmod: M". 22'973 ploston of a small explosive device such as a pipe Appl. No.:343.654

bomb. The suppression device has upper and lower blankets held togetherby flexible straps. The flaps attached to the upper blanket extend downtowards the lower blanket when the device is in an expanded posi- {fifl:tSil. om The bomm blank" has a cemml opening which 0 Queacts as a fl fh: l d th b b [58] sun. 02,21 2 89/36 36 recting the gases upwardly andcausing the device to 89/36 F expand in a balloon-like manner. Thestraps attaching the upper blanket to the bottom blanket are long enoughto provide a gap between the lower edge of UNITED STATESPATENT the flapsand the edges of the bottom blanket to allow 1.086.707 2/!914 Hoaflandl02/22 the escape of gases generated by an explosion. A 3.371.004 3/]968\Vikner et al. l02/22 standoff device is utilized which is first placedover the .L-WlJN! l/l970 Abbott l02/22 bomb so that the blanket membersmay be positioned 3.6431; 3/972 Ctlflll IOZ/ZZ without conmc whh the 6Claims. 4 Drawing Figures BOMB SUPPRESSION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to animproved blanket-type bomb suppression device for reducing the blasteffects of an explosive device and for catching and containing thefragments or shrapnel of the exploding bomb.

2. Prior Art Many blanket-type devices have been designed to be utilizedin the excavating industry for minimizing possible harmful effects topeople and property caused by dynamiting operations and the resultantflying of small solid pieces. such as rock fragments. at high velocity.These devices. however. are fairly large and cumbersome and cannot beeasily handled or utilized where relatively small explosive devices areto be contained. ()ne of the major areas in which these previouslydescribed devices are not useful. is in police or military applicationswhere there is a need for easily transponable devices that can be usedquickly and in confined areas to protect against small bombs.especially. but not exclusively. those made with low velocityexplosivcs. Low velocity explosives are in general of the smokelesspowder type relatively readily available to the public. Blanket-typeblast suppression devices are ineffective against larger bombs made withhigh velocity explosives. such as dynamite. TNT. etc.

Only recently have devices been developed which may be utilized inpolice or similar work where small bombs or explosive devices areencountered in public areas. One such device is disclosed by U.S. Pat.No. 3.648.6l3. It is the general purpose of such devices to provideprotection from the harmful effects of an explosivc device by coveringthe device to suppress the blast and prevent bomb fragments. i.e..shrapnel. from being thrown into the surrounding area. The meansgenerally employed to accomplish this purpose is a blanket of adequatelylarge dimension which is suposed to encompass the explosion by beinglifted off the ground by the gases released by the explosion as thecasing fragments of the explosive device move upward. The edge portionsof the blanket are intended to drag behind to form a canopy which.hopefully. will suppress the blast and contain the shrapnel beingpropelled by the explosive gases.

One of the major disadvantages of such a blanket is the fact that in anexplosion caused by the type of explosive devices herein beingconsidered. i.e.. a small bomb. and for that matter any explosion. thereleased gases move at a much higher velocity than the bomb fra mentsand cause a shock wave. This shock wave strikes the blanket first andusually blows it away bef ore it is reached by the shrapnel. Thus. theusual bomb blanket is relatively ineffective to trap and contain bombfragments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes theabovedescribed deficiencies by providing an improved blanket-type bombsuppression device which is not blown away from an explosion by theinitial shock wave of an explosive blast and thus remains to encompassand trap the major portion of the shrapnel caused by such an explosion.In addition to this advantage. the bomb suppression device disclosedherein also directs the movement of a large portion of the gasesupwardly. thus substantially reducing the harmful effects of theexplosion in the lateral direction.

The device includes top and bottom blankets preferably made of ballisticcloth. The top blanket has flaps sewn around the peripheral edges. whichhang downwardly in a spaced relation to the peripheral edges of thebottom blanket when the device is in an extended position. The bottomblanket has a central opening therein which is capable of acting as aflue for the gases and shrapnel released by the explosion of a bomb. Thetop and bottom blankets are secured together by flexible straps made ofa fairly strong material such as nylon and which are of adequate lengthto allow a separation between the bottom edges of the flap and theperipheral edges of the bottom blanket when the bomb suppression deviceis in an extended position as a result of the explosion.

In addition to the blanket members. a standoff device is provided whichis first placed over the explosive device prior to the blankets beingdisposed on top thereof. The standoff device is preferably made of anon-shrapnel producing material such as cardboard. styrofoam. etc. Theshape of the standoff device is essentially that of an inverted boxwhich can be placed over the explosive device leaving a space betweenthe sides and top of the explosive device and the internal surfaces ofthe standoff device. It is to be understood that any shape whichprovides the standoff capability. i.e.. keeps both the standoff deviceand the bomb blanket positioned on top thereof from touching the bomb.is acceptable as a standoff device so long as it also has the otherqualities mentioned above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of apartially expanded blanket-type bomb suppression device illustrating anembodiment of the present invention. with part of the upper blanket cutaway to show the opening in the bottom blanket.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bomb suppression device of thepresent invention shown in FIG. I. in a collapsed position.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view showing successiveconfigurations of the device shown in FIG. I. when utilized to cover anexploding bomb.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG.I. the bomb suppresion device l0 includes generally coextensive top andbottom blankets l2 and I4. preferably made of ballistic cloth connectedtogether by lengths of strapping l6 and I8 sewn or otherwise connectedto the blankets. As shown. both blankets I2 and I are generally square.but it will be realized that other configurations. e.g.. circular. willbe effective. Preferably the top blanket has edge flaps 20 eitherintegral therewith or sewn. or otherwise. attached thereto. As shown inFIG. I. the straps I6 and II limit the vertical separation possiblebetween the top and bottom blankets t2 and 14. but are long enough toprovide a peripheral gap or opening between the lower edges of thedepending flaps 20 and the bottom blanket I. For added strength. thestraps I6 and I8 desirably are formed of lengths of strapping whichextend completely across the top blanket I2 and extend inwardly beneaththe lower blanket I for an extended distance and are securely sewn alonga major portion of their coextending length to both the top and bottomblankets.

The bottom blanket N has a central opening 22 of \ullitblc configurationand dimensions to allow a large ortion of the gases produced by anexploding bomb to pass therethrough with little or no hindrance. Thedevice of this invention is particularly useful in protecting againstthe blast and flying shrapnel of an exploding ipe bomb. These areusually short pieces of iron or steel pipe filled with a low velocityexplosive powder and having end caps secured thereto. One of the capsusually has a small hole in it for receiving a fuse.

in H6. 2. the blanket-type bomb suppression device it) (without thestandoff device 26) is shown in a folded osition with the flaps 20 andstraps l6 and i8 folded between top and bottom blankets l2 and I forease in handling and storage of the device.

in FIG. 3. the device of the present invention is shown in position overa bomb 24. Additionally. a standoff device 26 is provided which has anopen bottom. sides 28 and 30 and top 32. The standoff device 26 can beof any configuration so long as it is structurally strong enough toprovide support for the bomb suppression device If! and its sides extendhigh enough to revent contact with the bomb 24. In achieving theposition of HO. 3. the standoff device 26 is first placed over the bomb24. the flaps 20 and straps to and [8 of the bomb suppression device Iare preferably extended or unfolded from between the top and bottomblankets l2 and 14 before the bomb suppression device is positioned ontop of the standoff device. The standoff device 26 thus prevents anyactual contact with the bomb 24. This is important since many bombs aremade so that they will detonate if touched or disturbed in any manner.

FIG. 4 shows the successive positions assumed by bomb suppression device10 following the detonation of pipe bomb 24 therebeneath. FIG. 4a showsthe initial osition in which standoff device 26 is to be placed overbomb 24 with the latter centered in the opening in the standoff device.Bomb suppression device I0 is then placed over standoff device 26in themanner described above.

Shortly after the detonation of the bomb 24. its casing shatters andreleases outwardly rushing expanding gases as shown in FIG. 4b whichinitially shatter standoff device 26 and push upwardly against bottomblanket l4 as well as downwardly against the surface on which the bombis setting. Because of the large central o ening 22 in the center ofbottom blanket [4 the gases rush upwardly since this is the path ofleast resistance. Opening 22 thus acts as a flue directing gases up intobomb suppression device I0.

As the explosion progresses. the gases push upwardly against top blanket12 causing it to separate from bottom blanket N. The separation islimited by straps l6 and 18 which become fully extended. Flaps 20 areconfined by straps l6 and 18 causing them to extend downwardly towardbottom blanket 14. Due to the length of straps l6 and II a gap is leftbetween flaps 20 and bottom blanket M which allows a substantial amountof gas to escape therethrough. This delays the lifting of top blanket l4and thus the whole bomb suppression device 10. As a result of thisdelay. the shrapnel pro duced by the bomb casing. which is moving mostlyupwardly as a result of the movement of the gases in that direction. iscaught by both upper and lower blankets l2 and 14.

The material from which the bomb blanket 10 of this invention shouldpreferably be manufactured. consists of multiple layers of flexiblematerial such as. but not limited to. a woven nylon cloth commonlyreferred to as ballistic fabric. These layers should be stitchedtogether by a series of closely spaced stitching either parallel.concentric circles. diamond shapes. etc.. in order to present a unifiedconstruction. The flexible material can be formed from materialscommonly used which would provide the proper mass and strengthrequirements. Such a material can be produced from a fabric weighingapproximately 8 ounces per square yard woven from 840 denier nylon as isproduced by several textile f'tber manufacturers. Such a fabric afterproper scouring and drying should have a nominal construction of 32 endsper square inch and 32 picks per square inch and a ballistic V rating ofapproximately I275 to i375 feet per second when tested in accordancewith the procedure outlined in military specification MIL-C- l2369E ofthe U. S. Department of Defense. Another example of a fabric which canbe used to produce the bomb blanket of this invention is a 14 ounce persquare yard fabric woven of i050 denier nylon of suitable commerciallyavailable nylon as mentioned above. This fabric must be properlyfinished. i.e. fully scoured and dried also as previously mentioned.resulting in a fabric which would meet the militarystandardspecifications mentioned. ofa V-SO rating of L275 to L375 feet persecond. While these are the most acceptable textile materials currentlyavailable. this does not preclude the use of other fabrics made fromsuch aromatic polyamides as fiber 8 or PRO-49 as manufactured by E. l.Du- Pont de Nemours in appropriate fabric construction from appropriatedeniers. Nor should the use of other materials such as finely wovenstainless steel mesh. glass fiber fabrics or ceramic materials alone orin combination with stranded nylon ballistic fabric. be consideredoutside the scope of this invention. Considerations of weight.portability. flexibility and necessary protection dictate the portionsof these materials to be used in combination with ballistic nylon orother materials. or alone. In addition. the invention as describedherein should not be taken to exclude the possible use of me dle punchedfelts. conventional warp or circular knit fabrics or stabilized stitchknits in the production of such blankets.

The material used in the straps can be of a suitable woven nylon such asused in automobile seat belts; however. other materials which areflexible and supply the required strength. could also be used.

As an example of an embodiment of the invention.

the layers of cloth are made from 840 denier nylon meeting thestandardsset forth in MlL-C- I 2369!? mentioned above. The top blanket l2 has 24layers. is 48 inches square and the flaps 20 are [2 inches wideextending the full length of each side. The bottom blanket t has l8layers. is 48 inches square and has central opening 22. i4 inchessquare. The layers are sewn to gether utilizing one of theabove-mentioned stitches to provide a unified construction. The standoffdevice is essentially an inverted cardboard box [4 inches by 20 inchesby 6 inches. Nylon strapping of the type utilized for seat belts wasused to make straps l6 and i8. Adequate length of strapping is utilizedto allow a gap of approximately l foot between flaps and bottom blankctis when bomb suppression device to is in an extended position. Thisexample was developed as a restill of use of a range of explosivedevices which are belies-ed to be of the type commonly encountered bypolice bomb squads and the like and for whose intended use this devicewas invented. The dimensions of the blankets l2 and I will be dependentto some extent on the width or dimensions of the central opening 22since .tdequate material must be supplied to provide the enielopingeffect previously described as a bomb is exloded thereunder. Otherconsiderations when establishing the size of the device are the weightof the blanitets and if the dimensions become too large the device willtend to be cumbersome and unwieldy to handle. which can be an importantconsideration since such devices might well be used in confined spacesin which there is little light except that presented from handheldflashlights. thus presenting a handling problem.

Also it has been discovered that if the number of layers of fabric usedto construct the top and bottom blanl\Ll is appreciably increased so asto substantially increase the weight of the blanket. the efficiency ofthe bomb suppression device is decreased since the gases will tend tofind a path of lesser resistance. i.e.. out front under the sides of thebottom blanket.

The design of flaps 20 and the gap between the flaps and bottom blanketI should be such that will allow a substantial amount of gases toescape. thus retarding the movement of the bomb suppression deviceupwards until the shrapnel is captured therein. and yet should notprovide a gap so wide that a large amount of shrapncl will escapetherethrough.

Other considerations regarding the material from hich the devices are tobe manufactured are in the color or dyed fabric to be used for the outerlayer of the blankets. This outer layer or covering is intended toprovide a distinctive appearance and can be manufactured from either apolyester/cotton blend fabric or nylon dyed to appropriate shades forhigh visibility such as international orange. canary yellow or possiblya fluorescent lime green. The purpose being to provide a highly visibleobject when the device is being used to cover a bomb and also to providea means for easily lo eating the device and identifying it as such. whenit is needed.

Some of the advantages which are readily perceiviible from thedescription are that the device of the present invention is a lightweight. easily disposed prolcctive implement for the use of policeprofessional bomb squads. military bomb disposal units. parapolice andsecurity forces. for the protection of banks. office buildings. museums.t buildings. theaters and places of public assembly and similar enclosedarea subject to the threat from the effect of clandestinely placedexplosive devices. The device can be used to provide protection forproperty and personnel before 6 the arrival of professional bombdisposal units to disof or defuse the offending device and may.

thereby contribute to a greater sense of personal safety in thereduction of panic among untrained personnel exposed to the hazard.

In addition to these advantages mentioned. and although the foregoingdescription illustrates the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that furthervariation is possible. All such variations as would be obvious to thoseskilled in this art are intended to be included in the scope of thisinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A bomb suppression device comprising:

generally coextensive upper and lower blankets;

strap means attached to said upper and lower blunkets and extendingbetween peripheral edges thereof for allowing limited separationthcrcbctween;

flap means attached to said peripheral edges of said upper blanket andcstendable downwardly therefrom for partially filling a gap produced bysaid limited separation;

said lower blanket having means defining a central opening therein foracting as a flue to allow gases and shrapnel produced by the explosionof an csplosive device positioned thereunder. to flow between said upperand lower blankets so as to produce said separation therebetween.

2. A bomb suppression device as defined in claim I and furtherincluding:

standoff means for supporting said bomb suppression device in a spacedrelation from a bomb in such a manner that neither said bomb suppressiondevice nor said standoff means can touch said bomb.

3. A bomb suppression device as defined in claim I wherein said flapscan be folded under said upper blunket when not in use and can fold downto a position relatively perpendicular thereto when said top and bottomblankets are in said spaced relation.

4. A bomb suppression device as defined in claim I which is generallyrectangular in shape.

5. A bomb suppression device as defined in claim 4 wherein said strapmeans further comprises:

a first plurality of flexible straps disposed in a spaced relationparallel to parallel edges of said upper blanket and said lower blanketand sewn thereto. a

a second plurality of flexible straps disposed and sewn in a similarmanner as said first series but perpendicular thereto.

6. A bomb protective device as defined in claim I wherein said upper andlower blankets are made from multiple layers of flexible material whichincludes:

an outer layer of high visibility material. and

inner layers of ballistic cloth.

1. A bomb suppression device comprising: generally coextensive upper andlower blankets; strap means attached to said upper and lower blanketsand extending between peripheral edges thereof for allowing limitedseparation therebetween; flap means attached to said peripheral edges ofsaid upper blanket and extendable downwardly therefrom for partiallyfilling a gap produced by said limited separation; said lower blankethaving means defining a central opening therein for acting as a flue toallow gases and shrapnel produced by the explosion of an explosivedevice positioned thereunder, to flow between said upper and lowerblankets so as to produce said separation therebetween.
 2. A bombsuppression device as defined in claim 1 and further including: standoffmeans for supporting said bomb suppression device in a spaced relationfrom a bomb in such a manner that neither said bomb suppression devicenor said standoff means can touch said bomb.
 3. A bomb suppressiondevice as defined in claim 1 wherein said flaps can be folded under saidupper blanket when not in use and can fold down to a position relativelyperpendicular thereto when said top and bottom blankets are in saidspaced relation.
 4. A bomb suppression device as defined in claim 1whIch is generally rectangular in shape.
 5. A bomb suppression device asdefined in claim 4 wherein said strap means further comprises: a firstplurality of flexible straps disposed in a spaced relation parallel toparallel edges of said upper blanket and said lower blanket and sewnthereto, and a second plurality of flexible straps disposed and sewn ina similar manner as said first series but perpendicular thereto.
 6. Abomb protective device as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper andlower blankets are made from multiple layers of flexible material whichincludes: an outer layer of high visibility material, and inner layersof ballistic cloth.